The drive thru seems to be faster, as long as you can get your order in before the people inside. The drive thru seems to get priority for food delivery. I have no limit! Hovercraft I never do. If I'm going through the drive-thru it's for one of three reasons: 1. Speed - If this is the case I need it QUICK and any line at all will make me abandon it altogether. 2. I'm in my jammies. :) 3. I have kids with me - there is NO WAY I am dragging them in with me just to head back out again. I always go in. Drive through food gets spat on by the pakis working there. Don't eat fast food! I've never been through a drive-through in my life, but I work at KFC and reguarly staff the drivethrough. My operating procedure is to expertly switch from being polite and saying grossly inappropriate things, while switching the mic on and off, while taking the order. It makes the night go a bit faster, and the look on a trinee's face is beautiful, if you make it sound like its all part of the conversation with the customer. I do it when cockeyed has content Hah! Three cars and I go to the next restaurant or go hungry! I am so impatient! The drive thru culture was a huge flop in Israel, so no drive thrus for me... Depends--I usually go in no matter how many cars, because it is always good to get out, but if my 1 year old is in the car, I will usually go through the drive through no matter what. Unless he has been in the car for a while, and needs to run around. It's not about the line, because when there is a line at the drive through, there is usually a similar line inside. if there are 10 cars, i got to another fast food place unless i am determined to get that food. Never I always walk in. Less time, easier communication, and you can find out if your order's right before you're a block away :, Three or four. I rather enjoy the whole drive-thru experience. Waiting in line is just apart of the fun! I use a complex calculation involving variables such as position of the sun, average engine noise decibel levels and number of consecutive days without any real cockeyed.com content. Lately, it seems, I've been stuck in long lines for some odd reason. If it looks like a lot of filler material, I just abandon the whole website. When there are more than four cars between me and the menu/ordering point. Always. Going inside is always faster. I almost always go inside. But that's because I'm a picky eater and usually do "special orders", which means it's much easier to check if it's right while I'm still in the store! I eat healthy! I don't. If the drive-thru is that packed, I go to the next fast-food place in my priority chain. After I see three of 'em packed up like that, I'll either defer lunch to a later hour or go to a Chinese buffet (which in Virginia are *never* so crowded that you can't sit right down and start eating.) Number of cars X impatience X hunger / temperature outside 6 cars it also depends on weather My wife loves drive-throughs and I hate 'em, so I always use the drive-thru when she's with me but go inside whenever I'm alone. I've found that no matter how long the line outside is, the line inside is worse. Especially since the line of cars is usually treated as the higher priority and moves faster. If there are more than 4 or 5 cars I abandon the whole thing. Too much waiting defeats the purpose of "fast" food. snack attack There is an approach lane before the order monothith proper. If the queue is longer than the approach (about 4 cars) then inside it is? Timing is everything however. When at peak hours (bars closing, local sports events ending etc.) one could expect the manager of a drive thru to anticipate the increased traffic and staff sufficiently. I have been suprised at how fast some very long lines have moved in a busy area. 6 cars and I park. At least I get the correct condoments when I step inside. I am more likely to abandon the fast food restaurant and go to another than I am to abandon the drive-thru and go inside. My reasoning is that either there is a line because it is very busy, and it will still be busy inside (as the cooks are cooking for both lines), or that someone has screwed up somehow, and screwups generally slow down the entire staff, as they create a bottleneck. 8 total cars, or 8 waiting to give their order? For me it is the number waiting to get to the speaker box - if there are more than three or four cars at that point I'll go in. (The one exception is the Taco Bell near my work during lunch hour - the workers there rock the house and it is always faster to just stay in the drive thru line.) With two kids in the backseat, the drive-thru is my only option that takes less than an hour. Unbuckling, toting, the inevitable running around on those horrid playspaces, catching, re-buckling... If I am in a hurry. Usually there is no one inside the resaurant. 4 when there are 5 cars behind the person ordering. if there are more than 6 cars in line, i'll skip the place entirely. Almost always go inside... need to work off the calories I am about to be taking in. "pre-emptive" action 7 million McDonalds, Taco Hell, BK - 5 cars Culvers, A&W, Wendy's - 3 cars - Slightly slower service When it's a Steak and Shake or White Castle and I know it's going to take a long time anyway. i do not have a car so no cars or one if I'm drunk Four cars. Anything above that, and my order usually gets messed up. If I see a drive-through window.... You also have to take into account the number of cars parked in the lot. If you can't actually see how long the line is inside, sometimes the parked car amount can help give you an idea of the wait inside. 4 cars does it for me. The weather here in Minnesota means that a line inside is less likely than in Sacramento since people hate to leave their warm cars. only if i happen to be sober at the time. If i can see the line of cars as I drive up to the only Timmy's that I ever go to, it means that they're already wrapped around the place. Then it's time to go inside. 4 cars since I try to avoid driving and eating I normally go in to eat unless I'm in a rush so it's not often that I go through the drive through. However for me it's about six cars. Never! I am a lazy American so I just sit in my car to avoid physical exertion. But my gas pedal foot can get really tired! They FUCK you at the drive thru.... A) If there are four cars ahead of me that have not ordered yet. Or B) If waiting in the drive-through line means that I will be blocking other people's parked cars Probably seven cars for me. But there are so many variables: restaurant type, location, time of day, size of cars ahead of me; it really just depends. 5 When I get there. NEVER! I drive to a different fast food place! When ever I sense danger of moron in front of me dropping change down in seat and digging around for it for the next ten minutes do you really have to pay exact change dude? My only question is if it is raining or not. I live in Florida and sometimes the rain comes down so hard you would be soaked in 2-3 secs. I don't care how many cars there are then Never. If there is more than one car behind the car that is currently ordering, I head inside. And, of course, I take note of that car and see if it is still there by the time I leave...and usually it is. 4 cars I do not go to the drive thru if the line of cars extends past the doorway to the eating establishment. anytime between 11:30and 12:30 NEVER!!!!!!! never. drive thru all the way. More than six cars, and I usually go to a different place. If the drive thru is slow, I find that its usually even slower inside! when NASCAR is in town: http://www.cockeyed.com/pranks/drivethru/drivethru01.shtml I don't. If it's too long of a line, I'll just go to a different fast food joint instead. Never! If there is 8 cars in the drive thru, we go to another fast food joint! Bump That! 4 everytime, barring internal dining area closure. Negative 5 cars. That food will kill you. 5 cars or 1 minvan I always go inside--my theory is that employees are less likely to screw up your order or tamper with your food when they see you face-to-face. I always go inside, even if there are no cars in the drive-thru. The drive-thru is for lazy people or if you have kids in carseats. When I see a car in front of me filled with 5 people late at night in a college town. I just assume that they are high and are going to order a lot of complicated things. when there are more than two cars in front of the speaker, but only at adalberto's. they are damn slow. Its variable based on weather (W), number of cars (N), speed in which I need to move on (S), whats on the radio (R) and comfort of the car (C). If N + S - W > R + C, then I go inside, else I stay in the car. Jim I go inside when i notice that cars ahead of me are having to pull up and wait for one of the workers to run out with their bag of food. that's just way too long of a wait for me. a dozen cars, or if there's a big family up ahead, or old people up ahead at about 3-4 cars, because most of my drive throughs are short, so any more than 4 cars, and youre sitting out in the street. Depends on how many Africans are inside 6 Ten cars, unless it is a Taco Bell drive-thru, in which case is it 5 cars. Why, you ask? Because Taco Bell order takers spend so much time in the drive-thru trying to upsell you with other items that it takes twice as long to order. it depends on the outside temperature and how toasty warm the car is comparative either 3 cars in line, or if my mother in law is with me, she always will go in and get food for those of us who are waiting, especially if somebody in the car is pregnant Never, never use the drive-thru. They f*%k you at the drive-thru. I park my car in the drive through and make the kids push it through the line in neutral and they call in the order at the box as I go inside. When I see my car at the window and I'm still in line at the counter, I go outside and pay there! Never 5 cars, but only because the drive-thru lane is really short at most places around here. More than five. I usually am ordering or receiving my food when I spot the fifth car in the window, the driver cussing as he drops the dimes from his change. All the time. I'm European, so I have legs and am not surgically sewn into my vehicle. If there are 5 cars in the drive up I go inside. I give up the drive-thru if there are more than 5 cars ahead of me at peak eating times (around 8:00-9:00 am for breakfast and 11:30-1:00 for lunch). Fewer if any of the cars are on fire and/or any of the drivers appear to be asleep. Clearly audible snoring/crackling flames = a sure sign that the line isn't moving at a decent pace. Hypercoma Virginia Beach, VA i only really ever go through the drivethrough when im really busy or late for whatever. i normally find most drivethrough fastfoods are on highways, and if im on a highway driving a long way i like to get out of may car and stretch my legs when i get food. plus, inside the restaurant is a washroom if you need it, a luxury not so easily afforded by a drivethrough OH, ROB, PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS BUSTING YOUR CHOPS. Like you don't have a life outside of maintaining your awesome website. This should make us ALL more appreciative of the nuggets you give us. Thank you for your selfless work to entertain us unwashed masses! If there are more than 5 cars before the order kiosk, decide to go inside. Unless the first car is just pulling forward, then I look past the kiosk and see how long the line is bewteen the place where you order and the drive thru window, and if there are fewer than 3 cars therr I will stay in the line. if it's more, I go inside. NEVER! Because I am not a quitter, and quitters never prosper. If the line's too long, there's bound to be another Taco Bell within a 2 mile radius. Fast food is poison. I don't eat it or allow my kids to eat it. I've never abandoned my car. I just go to a different restaurant. I don't own a car. If I see a long line at the drive thru, I assume there is a long line inside also. So, if the drive thru is that bad, I'll usually drive to another nearby restaurant and see if they're less busy. 5 hey...thats my red ford herd of goats 4 5 or more If there's a Drive-thru Nascar race in progress, I won't go near the drive-thru, doubly so if Lil' Shank is in the race. 8 cars = 8 minutes. Chances of parking, going inside, and getting your food in under 8 minutes are pretty low. I'd say 10 cars, but I've never seen a 10 car lineup. Always go inside. I prefer to watch the person who is going to drop my food on the floor/spit in it before paying. It depends. You can assess how many people are probably inside, by the number of cars parked in the parking lot. However, only experience can tell you how many workers are likely to be on-shift, and how long it tends to take to get an order filled from inside. So it varies from one place to the next. 8 Cars Never. If there are too many cars then I'll just go to another restaurant. I go in on foot whenever my chosen restaurant doesn't have a drive-thru. That's 100% of the time, for me, so my algorithm can be greatly simplified. four cars or two mini-vans. 4 cars Never.. fast food is the food of satan. Or santa. One or the other.. theyre virtually the same thing right? Fat hairy bald men who like getting into small childrens stockings... 5 cars is the "go inside" threshold When they start having people pull ahead of the line to wait for their order so they can keep things moving...er...not moving. i usually plan on going inside... if i plan on using the drive-thru and the cars are out to the street i say screw it and decide to wait or eat elsewhere. BTW... if you need filler ever again, put up another "if only i had realized earlier" type fill in the comment box any time. drive thru workers are fucking retards. fast food is gross, nigga! 3 I actually read in an article somewhere once that the count is 3. If you see 3 or more cars, go inside, becuase they usually have more than one stand to order from inside. Of course, this all goes to hell when you have young kids, becuase the time you waste getting them out of the car, so maybe someone should do some kind of research on the issue... (ahem...Rob?) Never I just go inside anyway, saves gas, and I can stretch the ol' legs a bit. never! When the car in front of me is filled with kids and i know it'l take a ton of time I just go somewhere else! Unless I'm really set on that particular restaurant, then I'll just wait in line at the drive through cause I'm too lazy to park, get out, walk inside and wait in different line. Although it's usually faster. same...I hate waiting when I only have a half hour lunch thnx Doug G. Omaha NE I drive by and look inside the restaraunt to see how many people appear to be inside vs outside. I don't eat in my car. I go inside. shut up you moron Unless it's late at night and only the drive-thru is open, I always park and go inside. It saves a little gas, and I try to do my part to cut down on the Los Angeles smog. never 4 If there is more than one car past the end of the "lane". (Where the curbs end.) Strangely, it doesn't matter how long the lane is. NEVER 10 for coffee, 6 for food When it cathces fire. 4 cars. However, it can be less than that if those cars are full of people. When I'm sent out to get lunch if there are 6 cars who haven't ordered yet I'll walk in. The exceptions to the rule are when I have to order more than 4 drinks, and McDonalds (which has two order windows so the line moves twice as fast). I always go inside. I find it easier than trying to talk to the box and then hand things around through windows. Never, as I detest walking or using my feet and legs for any reason other than holding my shoes and pants in place. 4 cars 5 cars 5 cars. At 8 cars, I tend to just keep going through the parking lot and finding another fast food joint to clog up my arteries. three cars If it's cold, I don't. When cars in the drive-thru lane outnumber parked cars in the lot. Or when there's a velociraptor at the window. I can never understand the order when they screech it back at me. I do not eat fast food. Usually three cars, unless it's In-N-Out, at which point it probably doesn't matter. I've found that any more than that, especially at lunch time, and you're gonna do better inside. Added bonus inside: You can stand at the counter and wait. I firmly believe that it's an incentive for fast food workers to get you to before finishing another order. 15ish for In N' Out...that place is GOOOOD but i hate going inside to order. FAST FOOD IS BAD FOR YOU I refuse to eat fast food. Plus, I abandoned my car not too long ago in favor of walking and public transportation. SUCKERS! If there are more than 5 cars next to the order screen. 4 cars at Taco Mayo, 12 cars at McDonalds, 5 cars at Burger King, and 3 cars at Sonic If I'm in a hurry I won't park regardless - I have the vague but insistent belief that the drive-thru is *always* faster, which is why it exists, so if there are eight or more cars lined up I just assume that it must be even more crowded inside. when the line goes 1 car past the speaker. depends on how cold it is and how i'm dressed. if i am still in my pjs getting a quick breakfast for my son cuz my head is still buzzing from the night before.....i will wait thru 20 cars if i have to. :) but, normally i'd say about 7 cars is my cut off if i notice the parking lot is pretty empty. Never unless I have to piss. six cars I don't know... Ask Veronica Mars! I judge more by where my car is in relation to the spot where you place your order. I usually can't tell how many cars are ahead because the line wraps around the building. If I had to guess, I'd say when there are about 7 or 8 from the ordering spot, and another 3 or 4 between there and the pickup window, I park the car and drag my butt into the store to get my morning coffee. That about halfway down the 4th wall of the building. I refuse to buy fast food unless I have walked more than two blocks to reach the fast food establishment. I feel that the calories burned, however minimal, slightly makes up for the fact that I am eating fast food. if its sunny. Bad weather, I will NEVER be persuaded. When the line wraps around the building i always like to go in. it beats waiting in my car never...im a trooper...and lazy One time there was a line of 6 cars at Taco Bell and no one at the counter inside (you can see the counter from the outside) so I went and and kept track of the 6th car. Not only did the 6th car beat me, 2 more got served before I did. I always go inside. Drive throughs are silly! 5 4-5 cars. its all content or nothing, no fillers for me For me the number is 8 cars. People around here (Bay City, Tx) are super slow. Except for Chick-fil-a, I have counted 20 cars in line and it only takes 2 minutes. I'll usually go inside if after you order at the microphone you can't move up at least enough to let the car behind you order. (I figure if they aren't getting new orders and still can't handle the one's they have they're strapped) Other than that, if the line is moving I'm ok to wait. my wife's is 5-6, but mine is forever.......I'm hooked to an oxygen line? you eat that crap?? never, if drive through is more than 4 or 5 cars i say fuck it and go home or whatever I would say 10, but many times when inside, I notice they handle the drive thru customers faster. By the time I get my food, I see the car at the drive thru window picking up their food that was last in line. My opinion the drive thru is ALWAYS faster. When Hell freezes over. NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nevah! 6 cars Always. Who wants to order out of a car window into a speaker? Much easier face to face. Always, as drive through restaurants are banned in my city. :( four cars. period. The news guy said that the safest thing would be to remain in the car. I mean, did you see what happenend to James Kim (RIP)? He abandoned HIS car and went inside on foot. 4 cars when the line at the drive-thru actually blocks the entrance From Splatman: Quote: "At what point do you abandon your car and go inside on foot?" Huh? I neva thought uv that. For me, it wuz just wait in the drive thru till it's my turn. I gess I hav learned a tip now. Or is Rob Cockerham just trying to find out How Much Is Inside a Drive Thru? 12/29/06 18:28PST I almost never use the drive through. Much more likely to get the wrong order and they never give you enough Condiments. It's all about the Condiments... here in Canada, specifically London Ontario, there are many, many drive-thrus. I could drive past and hit up another location without much of an inconvenience. I will, however, abandon the vehicle if I'm not driving and I am the only one who wants food. anytime it's lunch rush i can't, i'm too fat, I have been car-bound for 6 yrs and can;t leave my 1992 Chevy Lumina I can only stand about 5 cars, but then I leave and get food somewhere else. --Mike in Monticello i always go through the drive through. no matter how long the line is, it beats standing up. heh. 5 When someone ahead of me takes 30 years just to order something really simple. If it looks like there are a couple indecisive or complicated orderers in the line up (often indicated by the family sized minivans, SUVs or vanity trucks), I'll proceed to go inside. Never. I am lazy. I never do. When there is eight cars in line, almost the whole staff is working to get the line through before their in-store guests. For me, when there are eight cars in line, I take it as a sign that I shouldn't be eating fast food anyway and turn back. If the weather is crappy, NEVER. I'll get in a line of fifty cars if I have to. In good weather, I'll go in just for the hell of it. (No wonder I get fat in the winter...) 7 cars immediately When the line starts to enter the street. if the line extends into the parking area, so the # depends on the drive-thru layout My point is acaually only 5. I don't like waiting. never, i'm too lazy to walk inside. this is America darn it! if the line is too long, i'll just go to another fast food place and get something else... I try to look at the number of cars parked v. the number of cars in line for the drive-through. If there aren't many cars in the lot and more than four or five cars in line, I'll go inside. The drive-through workers always seem to be faster than the counter help. If lines are equal, I'd stick with the drive-through. 0, drive thrus suck I used to work for a restaurant with a drive thru service. Your best bet is to go inside, unless the line is short (3-4 cars for a one-window establishment, more for the ones with two). That way, you can watch them make your food, you get better service, and it's more likely that you'll get served faster if they have to actually deal with you in person. Really! 3 cars I don’t go through a Drive-thru when there are four cars behind the car ordering. When you order you have to pull up and pay and then you have to pull forward more to get some food. That person with the big order is stopped at the window, and the next person who has paid is waiting behind them but that second car adds just enough length to keep the third card from paying after they order and so the fourth car that is ordering has to wait for the first car to move before the next car can move to get its food and then the third car can pay so with the fourth car there waiting plus the four behind it, it just takes to long, so that is when I park it and go inside. If I can’t count/see how many people are waiting, I tend to park when the people spill out of the curbed area designated for the drive-thru queue. Like any woman I do things entirely on a whim, with little thought to procedure or policy. If it's a particular restaurant I know to be slow, I park and go in. If I'm on the way home and it's a pain to get out and walk, I go through the drive thru. I usually take on the drive thru unless I have extra time or I'm with someone else. I seldom go to restaurants crowded enough to warrant skipping the drive thru in favor of parking and going inside. five cars When I have to poop! I usually don't. If I'm going to the drive through to get fast food it's because I'm being as anti social as possible, and may still be unbathed, wearing my PJs and / or no shoes. Plus burning gas and polluting the air while idling my car really adds to the ambiance of American gluttonous consumerism in which I am currently participating. When I have to poop! At some fast food establisments in Ohio, drive-thru lanes are not marked well enough for people to discern that a line forms around the building in an arc. Some people even *GASP* enter through the exit to try and shortcut going around the building to get in line, causing triangular shapes to appear in the line and confusing everyone else in the line. I call this the "Time Triangle." Whereas in a normal line a car may take 3-8 minutes to order and recieve their food, in the "Time Triangle" people cannot figure out who is next in line becuase of the the multiple vertex points and subsequently lose crucial minutes deciding who should go, the line cheater or the person who came in after the cheater and got in line correctly? When this happens, I avoid on foot. 3 3 cars, but we also live in a small town where we don't know patience. When I want a breakfast sandwich with no meat. That way when they get it wrong I can open it up in front of them and say, "This has sausage. I wanted this same sandwich but without the sausage." This is way less frustrating than discovering the error a few miles down the road. Always, its faster and you get better service. four cars when i'm not feeling like a fatass, which would also mean I am probably not eating fast food. So I suppose that would mean never. when the car in front of me bursts into flames. 3 Having worked fast food, I have a moral objection to drive thrus. I do not patronize them. I *always* go inside. If it's dark or cold, I'll stay in the line. If it's warm and I have time to kill, I'll go inside no matter what the line. But my tipping point is usually 4-5 cars. By that point, I think I should get out of the car and walk or I'll be another fatass fast food eater. 3 cars in situations where you have two or more people in your car, and each of them has a cell phone, you can send some of them in as scouts. that usually helps cover all bases 5 It depends on how many dumbasses bitching about cockeyed.com are in front of me. The more, the better. After all, my trusty baseball bat is always riding shotgun. I almost never go through the drive through. They always screw you at the drive through. It depends.... Here on Schofield Barracks, HI (yes, I'm an Army guy).... They trap you like a rat. They have a combo Burger King/Popeye's Chicken building....two seperate drive thrus - but whatever way you chose, the concrete guides you through! Unless you change your mind before someone pulls behind you, you could end up trapped 12 cars deep in their "Lane Of No Return"! I wonder if they ever actually had anyone change their mind after being trapped in their concrete jungle....what would they say? I can get pics upon request.... Never, I like talking to the little man in the box 10 Rob, PLEASE, don't eat that crap - it's worse than smoking. RUN AWAY, RUN AWAY! three cars, or one at the speaker and a two car gap between that one and the window. That's a clue service sucks today. More and more, I just go in. Saves precious fuel money. This purposes? I use drive thru only when naked When the battery on my iPod dies depends on the choke and puke i stop at why eat fast food? 45 mins in line. 3 if there's no one in the parking lot, otherwise 5 or 6 unless there's a shit-ton of people in the parking lot Well, I'm a fat, lazy piece of shit, so even if my car explodes I'll probably still wait in the drive through m I never go inside because I am a fat, lazy american and I have a right to stay in my car by myself, idle my expedition's engine for as long as possible, and order enough food to cover a normal person's caloric requirements for two to three days. 4 or 5 cars, depending on the location. If the line extends past the "entry point" for the drive-through. Never. 5 I don't go to fast food restaurants, but I am submitting an answer so that I can see those of others. How come ifyou go thru a drivethru naked and you're alone, they call the cops, but if ther are two couples naked in the car they laugh and still serve you? 6 cars or three minivans 3 or 4 cars. In a local drive-through it's impossible to count the cars in the queue (perhaps in excess of 3) because the queue goes around the building. Sure, in theory it would be possible by exiting the queue and driving around the block or having someone do "foot reconnaissance", but as such it's a wild guess depending on if some of the cars are waiting behind the one that is ordering at the remote ordering booth (mic/speaker @ 450.45 MHz, scanner radio handy), or behind a queue to the window that actually serves the stuff. So for me the threshold is the "2nd corner". If I see car's past the 2nd corder around the building (1 corner from the ordering booth), that could be from 5-9 cars depending on the actual length of the queue, I will park outside and go in. The 2nd corner is also the last time to turn to the parking lot, so this is a natural choice ;-) I know, it sounds a lot more complicated than it is. (location, McDonalds Herttoniemi, Helsinki, Finland, EU) I never leave the car. Even if the drive-through line is long, at least I can listen to music. The last time I abandoned the drive through line was 4 years ago at an Arby's in Albuquerque and ended up waiting half an hour inside for my food. "Never again!" I vowed to myself. Working at a fast food place for a long time, I can tell you are more likely to get your order faster going inside with only four cars in line. Why? It seems like out of every four cars had an order for an entirely family, and one out of every four had a difficult to assemble order that required a bit more time than usual. People don't understand that a drive-thru isn't for lazy people, it's the equivlent of an express lane at a grocery store. It's for the guy who is on the move and needs to just grab a quick snack or the lady who just wants to get a drink for her thirsty kid. There is one person taking orders in a drive thru. There are usually two or three people inside taking orders. It's this way for the afformentioned reasons. So my habits fall in line with the way its supposed to be, not how many cars are in line. 6 cars Immediately; unless it's midnight and the lobby is closed, I go inside. The lines are usually shorter and if I'm going to eat a wad of cheese and meat products the size of my head, I'm at least going to pretend to be healthy and actually walk for a few minutes to get it. four cars (which is to say, four cars that have yet to order. anything else is too hard to determine) Hmmm... It also depends on the resturant, for example if it's Checkers, the guy that takes your order is practically deaf, and you have to repeat it 5 times. Then, my "clich point" is 4 cars. Otherwise, it's 1,348,923.4. Either always or never, given that I do not drive and do not frequent(sic) fast-food(sic) restaurants(sic). I judge the niceness of the place more than the cars. I never do....although sometimes when I try to ride my scooter through the drive thru, I think they can;t see me, and when I realize I am being ignored, I go inside. Based on a casual observation of the speed at which the line advances. If it doesn't advance in 30 seconds or so, 5 car max. If there are a lot of cars in line for the drive-thru, I just go to the next corner and hit up the next fast-food place. I figure if I'm hungry enough to actually eat it, then it doesn't really matter where I get the food. Two cars. The drive thru operations around here can be quite awful (maybe they are being too Minnesota 'nice' and chatting with the customers too much?), so any more than two means you are pretty much guaranteed to get your food faster by going inside, never, I am too lazy Never!!!! Two cars. 6 At four cars I realize I should go home and make myself something nutritious and save money. Eight cars?! Are you mad?! When the line of cars extends past the entrance to the drive through zone. bababada 4 cars If the kids are in the car, particularly if they're tired, asleep, or grouchy, I will wait behind almost any number of cars - pretty much the only drive-thru I go to is for coffee, and I just plain NEED me some coffee sometimes! If I'm alone I only have about a 3 car max before I go inside. Wendy's: 8 cars -- They are pretty quick. McDonald's: 3 cars Burger King: 1 car -- they take forever to get anything done. I go in when there are more than 2 cars. 5 5-6 cars is where I decide to go inside. I try to recall the last car in line and watch the drive-thru window and hope that I get out before that cars comes to the pickup window. On a good day I will be driving away while that car is still in line. 24 cars I don't. I'm too lazy to get out. I often go inside if i'm going to pay with a credit card or if it is lunch time. The only draw back to going inside, though, is often the drive through line wraps around in such a way that it is difficult to get out of a parking spot - sometimes i've gotten my meal in a jiffy - and then had to wait just as long for some kind soul to let me out! never. I always have something to read in the car, and I'll wait in any length drive-thru. I usually avoid the drive-thru altogether...I operate on some vague principle that the calories I'll be taking in when I eat fast food are somehow offset by the 50 steps I take to get from the parking lot to the counter. 4 5 cars if the line of cars wraps all the way around the building five cars before the ordering window 4 I don't. The last time I went inside a Taco Bell, the hideous foodmonkey talked with such force, they spit on me. I swore at them, walked out to my car, and went to the Taco Bell across town. I don't much care for people, that's why I work in a windowless basement and don't answer the phone. 3 cars that haven't ordered yet. never When the line of cars stretches into the parking lot of the actual restaurant. if i know that after i wait in line, im gonna be late to wherever im going. never try it on a bike I always go inside. When I hit the car in front of me! Ant, Cleveland I rarely use the drive-thru, even if there isn't a line. 0. If the line seems too long, I drive down the street to the next joint. When I have to pee alot worse than I have to eat When its on fire. I don't. I go to another place Robots do not stop at fast food joints. In any case the poor quality grease does nothing for lubricating my parts! Robot B9 4 Cars i find that its never faster to go inside, from times that i have tried it Depends on the restaurant, for Wendy's or Burger King, 8 cars is a short line and you'll get through fast, at Hardee's/Carl's Jr., 8 cars means a 20 minute wait time. For places with known slow service, 4 cars, at places with known fast service, 9-10 cars. when i need to use the bathroom 5 cars. Unless it's a drive-thru that TRAPS you in, then 3 cars is the limit. You have to maintain the right to drive away at any time. I am ordering inside all the time. Never I never use drive-thru. where's there more than five I depend on their past reputation. Even with 8 cars in line, some restaurants are known for being blazing fast, and some are known for taking tea breaks ever 2 minutes. Always go inside. It's faster and they usually get the order right the first time. I will go inside if there are 6 cars! However, if there are 3-4 SUVs with soccer club or elementary school stickers on the back I will go inside as well. My experience has shown that a single SUV is typically ordering food for 4+ people. I don't. Because i find that even if there is no one inside, it will still be faster to wait in the drive thru line. I think they try and get the food out quicker to people in the drivethru, maybe assuming people inside are going to eat there and dont mind a little wait. Use the transporter! I don't have a car. So about that point. http://www.usatoday.com/news/offbeat/2006-12-22-cat-toss_x.htm Ewwwwwwwwwwwwww. http://www.usatoday.com/news/offbeat/2006-12-22-cat-toss_x.htm Ewwwwwwwwwwwwww. I don't go to drivethrus and the last time I went it was near midnight and there wasn't anybody else in line. Usually, about 3 cars is my limit...but more often than not I just go inside. pantyhose! when the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon 4 cars, I have no patience. Judging how fast the line is moving. Our Chikfila is quick. So even if there are 15 cars I still go. But one of the McDonalds near my house takes hours. More than two cars and I abandon all hope. At my local KFC and McDonalds, they seem to prioritise the drive through. So no matter how many cars are lined up, it's always quicker to go the drive through rather than enter the restuarant. The only drawback is that when ordering through the KFC drive through, the chips never have enough salt! I just go home and make a panini rather than eat at the fast food joint. I don't eat fast food, it's overpriced poor-grade food prepared in unsanitary conditions by underpayed, disgruntled workers. You'd have to be insane to trust them NOT to mess with your food. i just look for another place to drive thru When the line covers 1 and a half walls of the premises 4 cars Always - my driver's side window doesn't roll up well. It's usually slower, no matter what the line size, especially at Taco Bell. I've never done that before. More people must want food in the US than anywhere I've ever been in Australia... the only time we've ever done that is when the drive thru is not taking orders. Never--- I usually have kids in the car. But also, unless the establishment has a special parking area for you to wait while they tend to other orders and walk yours out.... drive thru gets highest priority. Their goal is to get you out of their window and on to the next person. Inside, they don't care how long they make you wait for fries. when the cars wrap round the building 6 3 cars i always go inside. I find a different place to eat. Usually, however, there is no such line, because I get hungry at weird hours. IF MY CAR WAS ON FIRE 4 If I see maybe four cars, I just think, maybe this is a sign and I should go home and eat something healthier, or if I'm not headed home, I'll drive to the next fast food joint, or if I really have to I'll head inside. After the third margarita. Even one past the order station. It all depends on the urgency. If I'm getting dinner at a fast food restaurant (god forbid), it's worth waiting in line. Otherwise, the time I have is directly proportional to the amount of cars in line I'll wait through. Never I'd just go eat somewhere else. i dont eat fast food. its disgusting and mostly contains feces and dead baby abortion fetuses. Never, it always seems to take longer when I go inside. At the point I remember I have an irrational fear of drive-thrus. (I'm 21 years old and still have yet to make an attempt. Someday... *crosses fingers*) 12 cars would probably be the limit for me, although that is speculative since I've never seen more than 4 in a queue. In my experience, people in drive throughs tend to order less food than their counter dwelling customers, and the whole drive-through-conveyer-belt-assembally-line system architecture strikes me as more efficient. Add to that the time it would take to park and return to the car plus the effort required to extricate my colossal drive-thru ass from my vehicle, I would need a line longer than 12. Also, if things are busy on the outside, they are probably equally busy on the inside. When the line stretches out into the parking lot, I walk my lazy butt inside! ? Never, because I have kids. The whole point of going through the drive-thru is to get food quickly and easily. five cars Two cars. I prefer going inside for some weird reason. 7 I always go inside unless only the drive thru is open. I'm not too lazy to walk. If you don't have to get out of the car, it isn't worth eating the food. I avoid chains and eschew any restaurant with a drive through. on renal diet... i don't eat fast food. It depends on the restaurant. Some places (like McDonalds) are really just food dispensing machines and have really fast drive-throughs, so I'll tolerate a longer line. Some (like El Pollo Loco) take forever to get to the drive-through line, so I'll go in much sooner. There's also the "line length vs. order time" issue. If you're in the drive-through line, you might only have a few cars in front of you, but you can't order until you reach the microphone, and you can't get to the microphone until the cars in front of you have their food. I think this is part of the El Pollo Loco drive-through delay issue: their order microphone is too close to the pick-up window, so there's more wait time to order, which adds to the wait time of everyone else in line. When you're inside, your order gets taken as soon as the person in front of you is done paying, so your order goes in quicker even though more people are in front of you. The drive thru is the reason I choose fast food, if there are too many cars, I choose another restaurant. Also, I refuse to ever "pull forward" to wait for my food. The drive thru is the reason I choose fast food, if there are too many cars, I choose another restaurant. Also, I refuse to ever "pull forward" to wait for my food. 6 cars If there's more than 1 car in the line up. I find it almost always better to go inside. You can also get less garbage if you go to the counter. Six cars. Unless I find myself in Omaha, in which case I simply choose to blissfully eat a bullet. 6 cars. /9 3 cars 5 3 cars If there are enough cars in line before me to make me wait outside the entrance of the Drive-Thru, I go inside. when the line is extended back out onto the road I don't drive Depends on the restaurant. Taco Bell and In-and-Out tend to screw you in the drive thru more often, especially when there's lots of people in line. Ask for no cheese, Taco Bell leaves off the flour tortilla. In-and-Out has yet to get a single order for my picky family right. Going in adds the pressure I think and they tend to get it right. Probably around 6 cars or whenever I see people asleep at the wheel. Generally I prefer walking inside over the drive-thru so my tipping point is often zero. It is usually a way to get a quick stretch and with a sedentary job, I am always looking for small ways to exercise... But if for some reason I really do prefer the drive-thru, I will run inside anyway if I see 3-4 cars in line. 3-4 I usually won't got inside if I intially plan to use the drive-thru. If the line is too long I go somewhere else. Exception is In-N-Out. I will wait it out there. I almost never use the drive-thru. Loudspeaker technology hasn't really advanced that much, and I don't trust it. Plus if they get my order wrong (which more often than not they do), I can get it corrected without having to go back through the line or just go inside anyway. The only time I use the drive-thru is if the dining room is closed. NEVER ! Due to laziness, I will sit and wait it out no matter how deep the line. Sure it makes me mad and doesn't make much sense, but that is how I roll. Barney in Omaha Never. I'm too lazy. That's the whole point of the drive-thru. I never do drive through, I like to crap in their bathrooms instead of at home. never do drive though. It's always longer. Unless you can order immediately. even that is risky 3 cars ewcn x three cars my simple diet rule, any food that you have the option of getting from your car... don't eat it. i do not eat that kind of food Always. Not too many (none) drive-thru restaurants here in Manhattan! I never abandon my car. I don't eat at any restaurant bad enough to have a drive through. That food will kill you faster than that Plotonium stuff. I like to stay in my car and pretend I don't understand the guy taking the order on the speaker box. I keep asking for sugar with my fries. It is not a measure of how many cars are waiting in the drive thru line. I tend to get into line and if it does not move fast, I will go inside or go somewhere else. NEVER! My need for crappy food never outweighs my need for the convenience of throwing money out my car window and someone handing me a paper bag (or plastic at Taco Bell) full of deliciousness. It actually depends on what fast food. Taco Bell is one of the fastest, Burger King is one of the slowest. Regardless I abandon on if there are more than 3 cars waiting TO ORDER. If the line of cars is wrapping around 75% of the building perimiter. If I have to make more than one turn around the corner to order my food: in the local McDonald's parking lot, which is very small, I'd say 4 or 5 cars. I don't, fast food will kill you. I have no car, so I always go inside. If there are more than 10-12 people waiting, I leave the restaurant without even bothering. Five cars never. if there are too many cars, I go somewhere else I haven't eaten fast food in two years. But when I did, I never used the drive thu. Even if there were no other cars in line, I always went inside to order. Never abandon the car; the captain must go down with the ship. When I come home at night my kids shout “Viva el Capitan!” I never go through the drivethrough, no matter how many cars are in line. With only one way in and one way out, you are at the mercy of the dumbest person in line. At least inside you can switch lines if you get behind the person who wants to pay in pennies, or who has to ask about every ingredient in every menu item. Thrusday. Three cars I don't eat enough fast food to HAVE a plan! 7 - I am impatient, but being English if the queue is large inside I will wait for eternity Eight cars??? I'd probably go inside if there were half that many. Either that or I would head down the street to another fast food joint. Especially since there are usually several fast food places along certain sections of major streets. I usually just go inside - I'm not much up for ordering from my car through that stupid speaker, and I always feel rushed to look at the hard-to-see menu. usually it depends on how much I'm getting, more than two or three meals I head inside nevar! If there's a line of more than four cars, I simply go to another fast food joint. fart Six cars, this is scientifically proven to be the tipping pint whereby it is faster to go inside and orfer. It's based on actual math. Four or more cars waiting at or in line for the ordering speaker or the same number waiting between the speaker and the window Never. My Laziness knows no bounds! -Jennings four I will pretty much go inside on foot if there is one car ahead of me, the reason being, my car tends to stall upon prolonged idling. -Matt from Mount Pleasant, MI If I have less than 10 minutes to spare & there are 4 or more cars in front of me. 5 This "FILLER" content on cockeyed is really lame and please don't underestimate the IQ and common-sense of your fans (at least 79% of us)... This is a real yawn, Rob! -melissa in Reno This "FILLER" content on cockeyed is really lame and please don't underestimate the IQ and common-sense of your fans (at least 79% of us)... This is a real yawn, Rob! -melissa in Reno This "FILLER" content on cockeyed is really lame and please don't underestimate the IQ and common-sense of your fans (at least 79% of us)... This is a real yawn, Rob! -melissa in Reno This "FILLER" content on cockeyed is really lame and please don't underestimate the IQ and common-sense of your fans (at least 79% of us)... This is a real yawn, Rob! -melissa in Reno I agree. This is really a poor excuse for content :) It depends on the sorts of vehicles. In order to have a basis of measurement I consider everything in relation in segways. A hummer is 7 segways. A segway is 1 segway. Most cars are between 3 and 4 segways. If the line is equal to or greater than 14 segways worth of vehiculage...I proceed inside. If inside there is more than 5 segways worth of people (2 people per segway) in the shortest line, I skip the "fast food" and cook a turkey. 4 will dissuade me from the drive thru, usually ending with me going elsewhere or starving - nick I don't I don't, I will wait it out in the car no matter what, I cant even remember the last time I have seen the inside of Mcdonalds, and I eat there almost everyday. Drive-thru all the way!! At Taco Bell they almost always put the fast people on the drive-thru lane. For some reason there have not been long lines lately... There are also issue of public intoxication. Always stay in the car unless you eat inside. I go inside when there are 4 or more cars in line. The inside lines generally move faster. Until you get in one. Then the drive through seems to magically clear up. I go in all of the time. Been screwed over to many times by wrong orders while in the driver thru. To quote Leo Getz "They f*** you at the drive thru" 4 cars, except im in the northeast and were all a bit impatient :) I almost always go inside and make my order to go, unless there is no one at the drive-thru speaker. Even then, I'll check to see if there are cars beyond the speaker waiting for their food. Usually my wife is with me, and she waits in the car. She will keep track of where we would have been in the drive-thru line when I come out with my to-go order. It is very rare that I am ever beaten by the drive-thru customers. I also prefer to go in to make sure my order is entered correctly. I can usually tell if they forget to press the "plain" button on the register. I can also see my order on the grill monitor to double check it. Some drive-thrus have screens where you can check your order as it is being entered. While I like that, I prefer the face-to-face interaction. I also tend to often use coupons at fast food places. I feel more comfortable when the employee can see the coupon. Although, at the drive-thru, they tend to forget to take them, meaning I can use it again (or I conveniently "forget" to give it to them). I also refuse to go to the drive-thrus of not-so-fast food places, like Big Boy or Steak and Shake. Because the orders can take 5-10 minutes to prepare, it seems to be a waste of time and gasoline. And if there is anyone in front of you, that just compounds the wait. I have a 3500 dodge truck that is generally TOO BIG to fit thru traditional drive thru drive ways - so 6 times out of 10 i go inside -- however i do tend to frequent those drive thrus that my truck will fit thru (this also applies to car washers) -- FYI McDonalds is generally leading the way in making drive thru'ies for them big trucks -- THANK YOU MCDONALDS! 5. Sometimes more. I don't mind (and actually sometimes prefer) ordering inside, anyway. Order's right more often that way. What I wanna know is why you're going to Carls Jr. when there's a perfectly good McDonalds right over there! Four cars, unless I know the service is slow then it's two cars. If the drive thru line is moving excessively slowly and the parking lot is mostly empty (indicating lack of a crowd/line inside). On foot? That's way too much work for a Regular Roast Beef. Five cars I abandon my car when they have the "rat maze" concrete barrier around the drive-thru. This things traps you in line and you no longer have the option of bailing and going to another restaurant if the wait is too long. They figure if they get you to the microphone, they'll get your order. You won't say, "I've changed my mind," and then have to wait in line to get out. I always go inside. Always. That way I can complain right there if my order is wrong. when the line extends to the point where my car in line would block traffic flow in the parking lot. It really depends on the line inside. You have to try to peek in when you drive into the parking lot. If there is little to no line inside and a line outside, we go in. But if its close to equal, we'll drive through. Besides, if you don't go through the drive thru, you might miss the specials: http://www.cockeyed.com/pranks/pie/pie.html Three cars waiting to order. I hate being in stuck in traffic. Plus you can wash your hands before you eat like your mother told you. I always go inside -I live in the suburbs, so even if there are only two cars in the drive-thru, the dining room is 100% empty! I usually tend to go inside as a preference. Walking to get my food is not as lazy as just getting it handed to me. I almost ALWAYS go inside unless time demands I go through the drive-thru. I figured out long ago that speaking to someone face to face generally helps communicate my order with fewer discrepancies. Also, though I may go through a drive-thru on occasion, I never, EVER, EVER (!!!), go through the drive-thru at Popeye's. It's just a bad idea. 5 I always go in. I'm never in a hurry to get my food. honestly, I go in about 90% of the time. The only time I don't go in is when it's a road trip or if I don't have time to even get out of the car- which usually means I don't have time to stop and get food ANYWAY. 3 cars >=5 It's hard to say. The drive thrus around me never seem very crowded (4 cars in front of me is an unusually large amount. It's usually 2 max.) I think I'd go in at 6 cars, though. (Though I can't remember the last time I saw that many.) 6 cars four cars ahead of me depends on many factors. 1. Does NPR have something I don't want to leave the car for. 2. How bad do I really want a potato ole bravo? All things being equal, on a good day I'd drive away if more than 7 cars are in queue. I'd wait 20+ cars and/or walk in only at In n Out...I live in Nebraska. ;lkj 5 two cars Depends on my personal knowledge of the place and how fast I know that they usually serve drive throughs. Generally 4-5 cars. When I see Rob Cockerham in line in front of me. Operating procedure for drive-thru... 1) Check drive-thru. Are 4 cars waiting to get to the ordering speaker? If no, get in line. If yes, go to 2. 2) Scan parking lot. Are more than half the spaces filled? If no, park and trudge inside. If yes, go to 3. 3) Check out the drive-thru again. Are there still 4 cars (or less)? If yes, get in line. If no (there are more than 4 cars), go to 4. 4) Scan parking lot a second time. Have any cars left? If yes, park and go inside. If no, go in anyway. If there are more cars than before, go to 5. 5) Find another fast-food place. I can usually do this within about 10-15 seconds. If I'm by myself, I almost always go inside just so I can make sure I got everything and don't get short changed. Unfortunately last week I got short changed anyway. If I'm with someone else I'll go in if there's 5-6 or more people in the drive-thru. Dave (thegriddle.net) five cars Usually four or five. Six cars seems to be my breaking point. Although I often time find out that I was wrong. There's few things worse than watching the car that would have been in front of you pull away from the drive-thru window, while you're still in line waiting to be served. It depends on if it is the Slowest Arbys in the History of the World or the Fastest Wendys Ever. Three cars and I go in. Its better for you to get exercise to work off those calories anyway! Never. You will never be glad you went inside a fast-food joint rather than taking the drive-thru. At least outside you don't *really* have to wait with those unwashed masses, and you have minimal contact with the employees. Ugh. If cars are backed up to the microphone where you order. Four cars. The time of day usually determines if I go inside or not. If its at night, I'll usually use the drive-thru. During the day, I'lol almost always go inside. I prefer inside, since I'm very picky and tend to order items without a bunch of the normal toppings/add stuff/etc.. DaPenguin I don't. If a line is too long I go elsewhere. And it really sucks because I love Taco Bell and I just won't wait in a long line for it. -David, Brownsburg, IN 4 I tend to avoid the drivethru altogether, they tend to screw up my food if I use it. eleventeen 6 I don't ever. From what I understand, most fast food places time their service in the drive through and not the walk in business. So, odds are I'll get faster service in the drive through. 1 If I need to use the bathroom if I can't see the menu board Four cars. always 4 Honestly, I wasn't planning on writing anything here, but. I as my eyese jumped over the goooooooogle adverts I felt a tinge of guiltiness for never having clicked on one while browsing your site. So I did! Merry Christmas Rob! If I see there are a lot of cars, I try to take a peek inside if at all possible. I would say generally my limit is 5 or 6 cars and if I can see a lot of people inside, I'll probably just go somewhere else altogether. To some degree though, it depends on the place. It seems to me that McDonalds' are typically much faster than other drive -thrus, so I long line at a McDonalds is more tolerable, whereas a long line at Culver's would be a deathtrap. -Alan, Glen Carbon, IL 5 Get out of my car and up off my ass to load up on junk food? Are you serious?! Never! 6 cars 2 Seeing as I use a drive through once every three months or so, I normally feel that it's just less of a hassle to sit in my car, turn on the recirculation, and wait regardless of the number of cars in line. six cars, or when any one car appears to have been sitting there for a geologic age ordering. If X > Y/2 When X= # of cars in line and Y= # of cars parked ABOUT 7 CARS 3 cars. I find the hassle of dealing with the squawkbox outweighs any possible time savings past this point. As soon as I re-enter the San Luis Obispo city limits, because drive-thrus are illegal on account of they cause smog, promote bigotry and eat puppies for breakfast. i think about 6 cars in would do it or i would leave and find an alternative Skrew that, drive your car inside I will only go inside if I really, really need to pee ... otherwise, I will wait through however many cars it takes. I always go inside because then I can use the bathroom. It's better than trying to pee in the ashtray in my car. The only fast food place I eat at has large glass windows around most of the building, so while driving around to the drive through, I glance in at the line inside and then make the call. 5 4 cars I always just walk inside SHOOP DA WHOOP!! 5 or 6. But unless I have a real hankering for that place at the time, I will go to another drive thru instead, there are so many around here to choose from. The worst lines are usually at KFC and Carl's. Wendy's, BK and Arby's are usually good. One time I drove away and jumped onto the freeway, only to realize I only had my soda, I forgot to wait for my bag! I was very hungry too. When I need to pee. Five or more cars, especially if the cars contain small children. Those kids meals take longer to assemble. If there is more than one mini-van or SUV in the line I will go inside. The reason is that most of these cars are driven by Moms who can't get the kids to decide what they want. Of course cars with two, or more, teenage girls can also slow you down. In retrospect, it is just women in general that slow down the drive through line. i hate drive throughs. I say screw it and walk inside if a single car is waiting. 5 Always 4 whenever the space between the ordering speaker and pick-up window is full ZERO cars. i hate drive thrus. and will not use them unless i have to. stupid drive thru only at night. i worked at wendys for a year and a half. the drive thru line would get backed up with a dozen cars and there would be nobody inside. i wish the drive thru culture never got started here. drive thru food, banks, pharmacys, car washes, oil changes. im suprised there arnt drive thru gas stations. lazy people dont even have to get out of their cars anymore. 32 One Around here, about 15. The line inside is always long at that point, but around 15 you see the line inside being a bit better. Especially if its cold. Never, it always seems faster to go through the drive through. It seems like every time I go inside, at least 4 or 5 cars go through the drive through before I get my food, maybe more! When behind 2 minivans. That's two large orders, counter person screw ups, and a lot of changing minds just waiting to happen Four cars, if its not raining or snowing. Six if it is. one....im SO FUCKING IMPATIENT My impatience factor is inversely proportional to the quality of the music in my car. Give me a good playlist, and I can sit there for a while. 100 5 cars is my limit, or when I decide I'd rather just rob the place. 5765858684 Never. Except on Wednesdays. 3 3 cars - people who are too lazy to get out of the car are also proportionally more likely to be ordering three of everything on the menu! Pretty much never. My dad and I used to time it, and we eventually determined that it was so rarely faster to go inside that you might as well always wait in the car. If it truly looked insane, I'd probably choose a different restaurant. I hate drive throughs. I always go inside. 83 Usually only about 5 - and 4 is borderline. I hate idling in my car and I'd rather just eat inside anyway. Depends on the temperature. I live in Boston, after all. If it's warm, I might just park regardless of line length. If it's chilly, 3 or 4 cars. If it's really cold, no line length will make me ditch the car. 5 cars If there are too many cars, I am far too lazy to get out of the car so I just head to another fast food joint. If I'm not in a hurry, I usually go inside, regardless of the drive-thru situation. If I am in a hurry, and the drive-thru is incredibly long, I tend to look elsewhere for fast food needs. 5 If I'd be 3rd or farther back in line. 4 when the car in front is one of those school mini vans with about 15 separate orders comin thru 10 if there are more than 3 cars that haven't even ordered yet 5 cars. Then again, I prefer actually talking to a person face-to-face instead of a speaker box. 2 3 cars!! Im less patient than you! I'm a squid/rectifier inside of a plan et for 5 cars I live in Vermont. There aren't enough people here for fast food restaurants to have long lines in the drive-thru. If im pressed for time enough to get fast food; and theres a long wait, I will drive to the next Super Value heart attack. 4 cars from the intercom 5 3 cars past the ordering mic. always. They never get my order right in the drive thru never, nomatter how long the line is id sooner go to my second choice of resturant then go in when i planed on driving through When the drive thru guy pulls me out of my car and drags me inside. 15 5 cars or more! I have to be able to see inside first. always Never. If cars > 4 then go inside I make sure to get out of the car and speak directly into the clown's mouth as loud as I possibly can. That way everyone in the store can hear my order and it is less likely that my order will be wrong. Well, it kind of depends on the situation. If I'm alone and just wanting to grab some food on my way to a doctors appointment or best buy or something, my limit is about 4 or 5 cars, then i'll go inside. Once inside, i'll usually just eat it in the resuraunt, since it is usually quicker and probobly safer than shleppin back out to the car and trying to squeeze horsey sauce while on the road. But if i'm with a bunch of friends, or getting a large order, i'll usually get behind 8 or so cars.. especially if i've got people in the car.. cause you know with the whole group momentum thing etc, if you let everyone out of that car, its going to be hours before you can round them up from around the parking lot and across the street in the park and in the kb toys down the block etc and get them back into that car. so there's my usual fast food protocol.. however its not so much in effect nowadays, since i moved to nyc and left me car behind in ohio.. ah, the days when i went to school in boulder, colorado.. those were the good days.. had my car ('95 4Runner, 155k miles nowadays), went up to the mountains to do whatever every weekend, had some mobility, had some money, was relaxed etc... NYC is kind of killing me lately, and i've been thinking of a move out to california or back to colorado.. somewhere where theres some space and i can get out of the grind and relax sometimes. and also actually maybe save some money so i can travel more.. um, that was long. -Jeffrey jad@runblue.com three cars I never go to a Fast food rest. but I have worked at one of the busiest Dunkin Donuts in my area for about 3 years. My drive thru average for each car usually at 1:35 (min:sec). My counter line (inside) is usually out to the door. So if you are ever in Mendon, Massachusetts, I suggest Drive thru, unless you want to have interaction with who is preparing your order. _Lynn_ if there are 3 or more minivans. kids take too long. 2. I'm impatient! I always use the drive-through late at night. I'm usually naken then and they don't like to serve me at the counter inside. I go in when I care about getting my order right. 5 8's a good number. I try to get in, order, and get out before #8 makes it through. It's an even better feeling if you can get him to notice you as you walk in- and out. :D Any time you are going to In-N-Out. never Depends on the service at the restaurant, but on average about four cars drives me indoors. When the car in front of me is on fire. I will go through the drive-thru if there are five cars or less moving through pretty quickly. If the first car takes more than 3 minutes, I'm inside or traveling to another restaurant! 8 I also look to see what kind of vehicles and try to determine how big of an order each is going to make. Vans are an instant go inside. I don't have a car, so I always go inside on foot! If there are more than three cars past the order-taking speaker, I will park and go inside or go to a different fast food joint. 1 car 4 If the line has 3 people behind the car who is ordering food At In N Out about 10 Cars, anywhere else 5 cars Not an absolute number of cars, but rather how filled up the drive-thru track is. A longer, bigger drive-thru track usually implies more resources devoted to drive-thru, and hence a faster-moving queue. When I want to eat inside. 9 6 I only go inside if I really have to pee bad. I used to bail out at about 5 cars, but since I got my Prius, I just wait it out in electric mode. I will almost always go inside, regardless. I find it better to park and order take out than to risk the statistically probably miscommunication brought about by drive-through. NEVER! if i plan on using the drive thru i stick it out... if i plan to go inside, i'll just go inside. 5 5 Unless I'm the fourth or fewer customer in the drive-thru, I'll park and go inside. That isn't a good metric, though; on a nice day or if I have time to kill, I'll go inside to get my food and eat it outside, regardless of the drive-thru. No cars, I can't stand drive thrus. I usually get my food faster on foot anyway, even if there's only 2 cars already there. 6 cars NEVER! i will wait in a line of twenty cars at a drive-through before i will drag my lazy american ass out of my car and into the mcdonald's. When I run out of gas 5 cars I never use drive throughs. I hate yelling into a sign. Garry Four- unless it's during a major rush time (or the weather is bad). Then, maybe six. As long as I am off the street and not blocking a driveway, etc. I will stick it out. Unless it is a place that I know is notoriously slow anyway (like In-N-Out Burger), then I go inside no matter what. Never anymore. I learned the hard way that unless the line of cars is stretched around the McDonald's three times and extending into the highway creating a gridlock within a four-mile radius, the drive-thru is STILL faster than the inside. My theory is that they always put the better workers on the drive-thru, so even if the line is long (suggesting not too bright workers in the drive-thru), then the people working the counter must be hopelessly lost. I leanred this through several experiences of parking and watching the car I elected not to pull in behind pull out of the parking lot while I was still waiting for them to fix the botched up order they gave me at the counter. Bottom line, I think the only way you're ever going to figure this out is to do one of your world-famous experiments! the world is upside down the king has lost his crown! 4 cars+ Once, I was in a drive-thru (mmm taco bell) and something up ahead was going very wrong. Only 4 cars ahead, but I hadn't budged in 10 minutes, and was trapped. So I went inside, ordered to go, and ate in my car. "Can I take your order?" "No thanks, I've already eaten." When the line of cars at the drive-thru is so long you can't actually pull into the lot six 3 cars never, unless i can clearly see fewer or no people inside When I can summon enough energy to hoist my massive meat apron off the steering wheel and roll my largesse out of the seat and into the restaurant. Only after I take several moments to regain my breath do I place my gluttonous order. Getting back to my vehicle post-gorging is a different ordeal all its own. if there are three or more minivans in line. if the windows are tinted, you never know how many people are inside it; therefore how much food they will be ordering; and just how long that huge order may take. when they're serving fast food, I'll abandon them and cook at home. Never, I drive somewhere else if the line is to long. Never, If the line is to long I go someplace else or go hungry. If there's two cars in line at the Starbuck's drive-thru I go inside instead. Inevitably, someone in one of those two cars is ordering some kind of fancy coffee that takes a while to make. I can go inside, get my cup of regular and be back to my car in no time. I wonder if the people waiting in the drive-thru notice how quickly I get my coffee. any time at jack in the box, they take forever I almost always go in, mostly because I never know what I want and I feel stupid with the order taker waiting on me to make up my mind. When there's a line at the drive thru, I DO make a point to identify the car at the end of the line. (The one I'd be behind if I were in the line.) Then, while I'm inside and after I come out, I look for that car to gauge whether I came out ahead by going inside. At four cars in the drive-through, I go elsewhere. Like Hardee's instead of BK. When there are more than 5 cars ahead of me Rob, man. This isn't so tough to determine. Why don't you compare the number of cars in the drive through to the number of cars PARKED in the parking lot!? Figure 4 are for employees. The rest are customers. [pick up window][cars][car currently in front of menuboard placing order][no more than 2 cars][me] If there are more than four cars at a drive-thru and there are more restaurants nearby, I tend to go somewhere else. i dont eat fast food. its bad for you. 40 - I am super lazy 8 Almost never. If there are more than 5 cars in line I go to another fast food restaurant. If I can't find one with fewer than 5 cars in line within 1 mile of the first one, I give up and eat a box of granola bars. 4 cars waiting 6 10min BEWARE the minivan. A minivan, even with only one driver, is most certainly ordering for 8. Regardless, my logic is usually reversed of this question -- since I usually only use drive-thru's on the road, I like to partake of the wonderfully clean and pleasant restroom facilities at said fast food location, and will almost always go inside (also a chance to stretch, maybe meet that special someone!). Now, if someone would invent a drive-thru that had a little porta-poddy between the order clown and the payment person, that's a different story altogether... 1 Only if I have to pee, no matter how long the line is. You can order inside?! Rob, I have two kids, who turn 2 and 7 this April. If I have both kids with me, I definitely don't go inside. If it's just the baby (because big sis is at school), I don't usually go inside because it's a lot of work to lug baby girl out of the van, inside and back to the van again. Although I'd probably work a little of my Quarter Pounder with cheese and fries off that way. But, I suppose it would have to be a good 8 cars or so, in a known not-so-fast McDonald's before I'd consider going in. If it were a double drive thru, maybe 10. 3 cars I don't like to eat in the car, so I will choose to eat inside the vast majority of times. 8 6 cars 8 Please call 1-800-976-7845. You don't need to talk with them, just call. They send spam faxes out about a $321 trip. I requested removal but they still send 3-4 per week. Call them, talk or not, but don't buy their scam. Just tie up an operator for a bit. Alone we are powerless; together we can have an effect. Thank you. 7 12 10 cars 4 cars I always prefer to go inside! But if I was a drive through user, I would bail at three cars lined up waiting to use the microphone. I think that girl Brooke from the Granola Bar story should dump that douche in the pictures and date me. Never! I will drive away to some other place or give up instead. When there are more than 3 cars waiting to put in an order and the lane between order giving and pickup is full If there are enough cars that people put the car into park instead of hitting the brakes....No brake lights means I'm footin it!!! 4 cars is the cutoff if its a weekeday. 8 on the weekends or after hours. Five. If the line is four or less I may wait (dependent on the past efficiency performance of the joint). Four to six cars; I'll opt for the interior strategy. If more than six or seven hoopties, all with drivers who are twirlling thier hair, grinding their teeth, checking watches, scratching crotches and gnashing teeth, I don't use the restaruant at all because the drive thru crowd gets priority over the idiots who walk inside thinking they are somehow priviledged above the fume-head jockeys outside. Plus I have trouble with my driver's window in my car which makes me behave like a hillbilly in a melon patch. 5 one 2 cars Rob, Interesting qustion. I work at a mcdonald's here in town and I will tell you that 90% of the time, it will be faster to come inside when there is a line of cars, just because we don't have to wait for the other four people in front of you to get it to you. So I go in all the time. Thanks, Sara 8 I use the drive through to get food quick. If there are too many cars in line (6 or more that haven't even ordered), then I go to a different place to eat. I just assume it's just as busy inside. If I am ordering alot of food I worry they won't be able to handle it at the drive through and I go in so I can make sure it comes out right. i don't drive a car. when their are more cars in the drive thru than parked in the parking lot I don't - I go to the next restaurant. When the line of cars is right through the carpark. 4 cars ahead of me When I feel like taking time w/the menu :) 4 6 Living in a small town, with 3 drive thru options, that's not a problem I have too often. Depending on how lazy I'm feeling at the time, I'd say 6 to 8 cars. I don't drive. four cars I just don't eat fast food... Duh... 7 Never 6 cars. The point at which I know I'll be late for work. When I see a fist come from the car window and enter the drive-thru window. When I see a fist come from the car window and enter the drive-thru window. four cars 4 5 2 When I eat at McDonald's. So I can visit the toilet right after eating that horsesh*t food. I do this too! I have determined at most establishments that I frequent that the break even point is about 4-5 cars. Usually if there are 5 cars I will go inside. It seems like every place I go there are hardly anyone ever in line inside, and they usually have at least 2 cashiers! Inevitably I end up going inside the majority of the time, always noting the car that I "would" have been behind had I stuck it out in the drive-thru. I'd say at least 90% of the time going inside is faster. I never go inside on foot. I fear people and enjoy the comfort and safety of my own car. 3 or 4 When the cholesterol in my arteries twinge, I waddle inside and lick the floors next to the fryer. 4 5 cars 6 large vehicles, 8 small When there are more vehicles behind the ordering / menu station than there are between the menu and pick-up window. Average: 4-5. 3 cars 7 3 cars to the point of order. unless its In-N-Out, then I don't care. Their Drive-Thru is really orderly and fast. 5 Always, as drive thrus are evil. Sometimes, I just keep driving. All the fast food places around here either have a second location 5 minutes away or a lesser populated rival. Going in for a go order? Not unless it's 5 separate orders! never. I'm too lazy. i never use drive through!! Never! more than 2 cars. Usually you get in an out much faster. It works nearly 9 out of 10 times for me... I don't. never. drive-thru gets precedence over walk-ins. maybe go to another restaurant, or another location, or home to make a sandwich, or buy sandwich meat and bread. I keep yoo-hoos in my car - they'll delay hunger for an hour or two - probably sure for 'older' people, a slim-fast will do the same. Whenever I need to use the restroom. There are far too many variables for me to give a simple answer Rob. I'll start with the 'Me hungry will eat brake pedal' - I usually do a quick scout of the starving hyenas area. Which is always hard to judge seeing as complete families go inside to order. I do a quick count of vehicles in parking lot -vs- vehicles in drive thru. Usually you can see if there is a van full of teen boys and girls all wanting different orders. If I see that, even if there is only 1 car in the drive thru, it's the counter for me. Having sussed and calculated these factors; # of cars in drive thru - # of cars parked, adding 3 points for vehicle loaded with teens, minus 2 points for each gathered family at the counter, I quickly surmise any number lower will therefore be my decision. Of course you I always have to factor my impatience -vs- hunger coefficient. All that for a burger. It's usually at this point I just drive home and eat uncooked noodles. - KC from OZ 6 Actually, if I want to use the drive-thru, it probably means that I either just want a quick bite on my way to somewhere, or that I'm already planning on taking it home. If I go inside, it's because I want to eat inside. When the line is long, I just go to a different restaurant or make something myself. about 4 cars--i read a book a long time ago--rules of thumb. i have noticed that sometimes i will actually beat the cars thru the drive thru when i walk in. although, i think some places actually ignore the counter and try to cater to the drive thru's. (drb) I use the curbs on either side of the drive-tru lane as a measure of how long the line is. If the cars extend past the bording curbs that define that lane, I go inside. Which is probably terribly innacurate, since that curb length can vary from place to place. I think it's the "Line line is extending past the drive-thru lane!" factor that does it. I never abandon my car. I drive right through the glass windows. Try it sometime, it's amazing how anxious they are to serve you. i go in if there are four cars in front of me. cause well i live in the mid-west and people here have nothing else to do then eat a shit load of food- james from texas I guess I'm impatient. I only wait for four cars to be present to abandon ship. I always go in, I fear drive thru's. What if the car in front of you and behind you breaks down and then the restaurant catches fire? I worry about these things. When your mom is done giving me head. I don't care if there isn't a line at all, I abandon all hope immediately. The people taking my order at the Drive-Thru screw up a lot, but almost never do so when I go inside. Most places around here are still using those old analogue systems where we can't hear each other clearly. What's the point of going through a "speedy" drive-thru if you have to circle around once, maybe even twice? Never. The inside of a fast food restaurant is full of niggers. only 3 cars, mostly because I hate eating in the car. Service at the drive thru is usually at a priority 8 three cars and I`m inside! When you update your how much is inside site. When your sister makes me cum. The question is where do you start counting? If it wraps around, it is hard to count the cars waiting for food that have already ordered. I start counting with the first car ordering at the speaker box. If it is more than three, and I cannot physically see a lot of people inside, I park and go in. Problem is that sometimes the inside workers figure that anyone coming inside must have all day and they tend to serve the cars first. 6-8 cars in line prior to the ordering speaker. When the line of cars reaches the second entry into the building. I'm that lazy. none 5 i usually go inside regardless. unless its in n out...the drive thru is markedly quicker at in n out Depends on several factors: - How much smoke is coming out from my engine compartment. The color of the smoke is important, because the blue smoke tends to make my head feel hurt. - Am I there to get food or hold-up the place? - Am I in a taxi? - How many people (especially children) are in the cars lined up in the drive through. Because you KNOW the kiddies will change their mind after the employee reads back the order. - How many road raisins are in the drive through. Because you KNOW senior citizens are concerned about their health and will ask for french fries "no salt" and other requests that will slow down the order fulfillment. - How close it is to the tipping point between breakfast and lunch. Because you KNOW that five minutes after that typing point someone will order breakfast and then argue with the clerk that they waited six minutes in line and, therefore, where lined up while it was still breakfast time. (Seldom works though.) - Is this one of those drive thrus where the rogue employee is also dealing drugs? Because you KNOW the people who buy the pot will then back up because they forgot to order french fries, onion rings and Doritos. - Has Rob Cockerham been there previously? Because you KNOW customers will be asking about the special apple pie, featuring a photo of American Pie star Jason Biggs. This is not what you wanted but It is a procedure I like to partake in for my personal pleasure. When you order something and they ask you to pull over and they will bring it out to you. Give them a "No thanks I'll just wait here!" Its alot more fun when you have your mother in the car with you! Six cars. If it's one of those drive-thrus that you can't pull out of, I go inside. sdfsd 6 cars 6 (live in small town) 6 cars, or 4 minivans never After screaming at the Chic-Fil-A drive through intercom thingie for 15 minutes or so. Then I remember that it's Sunday, and I spend the rest of the day loudly cursing Christianity for denying me my Chick-fil-A® Chicken Sandwich for the five-millionth time. 3 cars If I don't have kids with me, 4 cars. If I do, probably 7. I'm really impatient, I guess. If there are more than three cars, I just leave... Hungry, alone and without the benefit of chemically engineered fast-food goodness. 7 I always go inside. Joe Pesci taught me that lesson and it stuck with me the rest of my life! If there are enough cars in line that go past the door, I go inside. 6 cars NEVER! the food must be eaten within my car for it to be appetizing. and, it must be handed to me through a window, and the service must be very poor. otherwise, it just isn't fast food. never If the line spills into the parking lot, but only if it isn't raining. If I see 8 cars ahead at the drive thru, I use my cell to order a pizza and just drive home to wait for it. Trust me it's a lot quicker and much less hazardous to pre-hardened arteries .... If I'm on lunch from work, four cars is my limit. If not, it depends on my mood. Always, my front window won't roll down and i feel like a douche opening the door to order/pay etc. Always Never. 10 When I'm snipe hunting. When Ping-Pong humps buddy in the doorway! NEVER One lane, 6, two...6 4 cars or more, I aint waitin' for mah food. It usually depends on the layout of the parking lot. If the lot is small and cramped and I see the line isn't moving very fast, I'll go inside. 5 2 cars in line, but I like to get some exercise! 4 Six Cars 4 NEVER...I like sitting in my car. When the line before the microphone box is longer than the line after the microphone box. 1 four or five in line cree Fast food is gross! At my local Dunkin Donuts, I know the inside is usually alot faster when there is less people, than the drive thru is with less people. But it switches when there is alot outside the drive thru is faster than the inside with alot of people. Get it? Its cause at most there are maybe 3 people working for the drive thru usually less, and inside there are 3 or more working for you so there is a higher bandwith inside. But there is a cut off at some point cause the inside service slows to a crawl after it gets busy inside. Does that make sense? 5 10 cars Wow. It depends but if I'm really in a hurry I will never drive into one of those drive-thrus that won't allow you to escape because you'd have to drive over a curb. I hate those mother fuckers! It's so wrong to not be able to leave if you are left waiting interminably. Never! Never. I just sit and wonder what the hell the people in front of me are ordering that's taking so long. 6 Four cars When the line is 5 cars long When a policeman has someone pulled over in line...went inside and could hear over the intercom the policeman giving the young female driver a ticket. We got our order and left while the line was still backed up. I use a ratio of cars in the lot to cars in the line cased upon the size of the store. 6 4 6 i never go inside. i just go to the next closest drive-thru! 6 - 8 3 I drive past. Any food outlet that offers a drive thru is not sellling anything worthy of eating, it being junk food. 10 cars never Never; I drive off 4 Your system is pretty good, but you've got to weight the cars.